Yippee! Finally! I've figured out a way to get pate sucre tart shells out of frilly tart tins. I have tried many methods and usually end up with about 1/3 of the tarts wasted as they crumble horribly.
So now, here's the method (thanks to Rose Levy Berenbaum, who recommended it). Once the tartlet is baked and removed from the oven, while it is still pretty hot (I mean almost finger-burning hot) stick the eye-end of a sewing or embroidery needle in between the metal and the middle of each flute. Push the needle all the way down to the base of the tin. Pic attached (a terrible pic, I am sorry to say, but it's supposed to be a needle in the middle of a flute). Give each flute the same treatment; when all flutes are done, just gently turn the tartlet tin upside down and the pastry will come out very easily.
I will have to be in a patient mode to do this but with, say, just a dozen or so tartlets, it will now be possible for me to get almost perfect frilly tartlet shells.
